﻿This will be the first in a series about setting up your home school.

When Riley started complaining of bullying at our local school, we tried all the usual remedies, teaching him how to deal with bullies, talking to his teacher, bus driver, and Principal, staying at the bus stop until he was picked up, etc.

However, one day we discovered he'd been wearing shin-guards to school and that very morning I witnessed one of his bullies picking him up by the backpack at the bus stop and shaking him.

It was too much. I stormed over to the bus stop, berated the child, then stood there waiting for the bus to arrive. Then I boarded the bus and let the driver know what happened. Afterward, I followed the bus to the school and filed a formal report. I was promised a call from the Principal, which never came.

Another report was filed, then another, finally I called the office daily demanding to talk with the Principal. This had gone on far enough, I warned, the next call was going to the school board.

Finally, he called, but his response was less than assuring. Apparently, our son needed to "toughen up" and he was being bullied because "boys are just like that."

Um, no.

We pulled him out of school and began homeschooling soon after.

Our district has one school in it. It's a K-8 with 110 kids in it. There were no other schools in the area to send him to and the registration period for the only online public school that serves our area had passed.

So we were on our own. What followed were several fits and starts that eventually led to our current curriculum. I'd like to say we haven't looked back, but we have. Homeschooling is not an easy task but it is very rewarding.